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Food Insecurity in Uganda and

Nigeria

Dylan Needham

GEOG 275

Spring 2021

Prof. Mohamed Ibrahim

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Introduction

Food is the basic human need for survival, health and productivity, and forms the

basis for human and economic development. This simple truism determines in a broad

sense the physical, social and economic conditions of a region. Food security exists when

safe and nutritious food that meets the peoples dietary needs and food preferences to live

an active and healthy life; and paradoxically food insecurity results when food systems are

stressed in such a way that food is not available, accessible or utilized properly (Turyahabwe

et al. 2013). Global food insecurity affects one in eight people, or 870million worldwide,

with two-thirds of these people found in Sub-Saharan Africa, India, and China (FAO 2013).

Moreover, most households especially in developing nations are food insecure, with 2009

estimates suggesting that 102 billion people were undernourished worldwide, which is

about 37% higher than 20 years ago (FAO 2009). Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are the

regions most affected by food insecurity, being home to 60% of the world’s food insecure

people (Turyahabwe et al. 2013).

Indeed, the links between climate change, socio-economic development, health and

environmental sustainability have become dominant and urgent global concerns. Low per

capita food availability, high fluctuations in food supply and lack of innovative ideas as well

as responsive policies for sustainable use and management of natural resources are primary

challenges to address in food insecure nations. Environmental degradation and climate

change add additional elements of complexity, insofar as climate change results in new and

unpredictable patterns of precipitation and temperature, the increased frequency of

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extreme weather events and rising sea levels (Hope 2016), and anthropogenic land change

results in desertification. Sunderland (2011), Brussard et al. (2010) and Perrings et al. (2010)

argue that the clear disaggregation of conservation goals with agricultural production have

led to limited outcomes in the realms of conservation and food security for the local people.

To achieve this duality, integrated and inclusive approaches must be actively pursued. The

2012 Human Development Report for Africa indicated that the food security situation in

Africa has been unsatisfactory, and since 2000 Africa has experienced several episodes of

acute food insecurity, with immense loss of lives and livelihoods. The report shows that crop

failure and a lack of food are not the only causes of famine and hunger, and more often the

challenge is in the uneven access to food. It is a symptom of the low incomes and high levels

of vulnerability that still affect many Africans. Inclusive growth and people-centred

approaches to food security are needed. Action focused on agriculture alone will not end

food insecurity -- new multilateral approaches are necessary; from rural infrastructure to

health services, social protection and empowerment of the people. Development must

redress the institutional top down approach, insofar as the poor and vulnerable must have a

greater voice through strengthened local government and civil society to ensure food

security for all.

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Case Study of Uganda

During 2010, the National Development Plan indicated that the food security

situation in Uganda has been unsatisfactory (NDP 2010). At the time, approximately 1.4

million people were food insecure despite the abundant resources (FEWS-Net 2010), with

the prevalence of food energy deficiency at the country level standing at 37% (Lisa et al.

2006). About 86% of Uganda’s population live in rural areas and are predominantly rural

farmers and agricultural practice is predominantly rain-fed (Turyahabwe et al. 2013),

characterized by low levels of crop productivity. African agriculture depends mostly on

rainfall, and high rainfall variability, drought, climate change and farm mismanagement

result in crop failure and declining socio-economies; including increased poverty and

starvation, as well as increases in the phenomenon of rural-urban migration.

Awareness among farmers

Increasing awareness that most poverty is rural, and that agricultural development has

been neglected lent urgency to scholarly investigation of agricultural development

investments – best described in the World Development Report for 2008 (World Bank

2007). Essentially, farmers of Uganda are vulnerable to starvation in times of environmental

stress, drought and floods because of such dependence. Turyahabwe et al. (2013) found

that about 83% of Ugandan households experienced food insecurity, with the main

indicators attributed to low harvest (30.9%) and when people buy locally grown food items

(18%). Moreover, 80% of the respondents reported that wetland resources provide

products and services that contribute enormously to their household food security, of

which, Uganda has lost about 11,268 km2 of wetland, representing a loss of 30% of the

country’s wetlands from 1994 to 2009 (Turyahabwe et al. 2013).

Effect of regional integration and trade

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Regional integration and trade have multiple advantages for sub-Saharan Africa, especially

for countries that are landlocked, are far from major transportation routes, have low

population density and have small domestic markets (UNDP 2012). Such is the case for

Uganda, where regional integration and trade can help production, markets, new

technologies and opportunities. Expanding regional integration requires careful policy

management. Uganda buffered the impacts of the global economic slowdown in 2009 and

the contraction in demand for its traditional cash crops (coffee, tea and cotton) from its

international trade partners by expanding cross-border trade with its neighbours

in non-traditional exports (maize, beans and livestock).

Undernourishment in Uganda

In Uganda, the number of undernourished has been inflated by the influx of over 1.4 million

migrants and refugees, of which about 1 million alone came from South Sudan (FSIN 2018).

In addition, poor rainfall and crop and livestock pests and diseases reduced production and

contributed to record high maize prices in 2016–17 (FAO 2018c; FAO 2018a). As seen in

figure 1, Uganda is characterized as an undernourishment African country, in a state of

deterioration. With increasing population around the wetlands, coupled with land shortage

and weather variations, households with limited options will continue to generally rely on

wetlands for food security and income for sustaining their livelihoods unless alternative

livelihood options are provided (Turyahabwe et al. 2013).

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Figure 1. Change in the prevenance of undernourishment in African countries from 2004-06

to 2015-17

Source: UNDP (2012)

Case study of Nigeria

The rise in the prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa between 2014 and

2016 was strongest in Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria (FAO 2018). Nigeria, which

accounts for half the population of Western Africa, is also adversely affected by a

depreciating currency, leading to high inflation, reflected in food prices, such as rice (FAO,

2018a). In addition, in north-eastern Nigeria, civil conflict left millions in need of urgent

assistance - 2.9 million people were expected to be severely food insecure during the 2018

lean season (June to August) (FAO 2018b; FAO 2018c). The last two decades of the

twentieth century have been noted for the frequency and intensity of extreme weather

conditions. In Nigeria, temperatures have risen continuously (Buba 2009), and the impacts

of climate change on food production and food security is a great threat.

Agriculture and climate change

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Agriculture is under pressure in large part due to increased demand, and depletion

of natural resources. According to Tanko (2010), several adaptive practices or coping

measures, and lack of any formal or semi-formal organization in the communities, render it

impossible for formally organized measures to be adapted. Again, in figure 1, Nigeria is

characterized as an undernourishment African country, in a state of deterioration (albeit

less consequential than Uganda).

Perception of climate change

Tanko’s (2016) study on two local farming communities in rural northern Nigeria revealed

not only local perceptions of climate change, but its impacts on their communities. The

overarching aim here was to enhance food security by facilitating sustainable climate

change adaptation and mitigation among small-scale farmers in the area. Although

members of Cifatake and Aburom communities came to differing conclusion as to the

process of climate change, they both had observed a shortened length of the rainy season.

Each community was assessed using variables relevant to the vulnerability of the

agricultural sector to climate change, seen in Table 1 and Table 2. Indeed, the study found

that both the climatic conditions and the anthropogenic factors were contributing to the

vulnerability to climate change in agrarian communities. Cifatake, with a vulnerability value

of 0.57, showed more resilience to the impact of climate change than Aburom with a rating

of 0.29.

Lack of awareness and planning

It was observed that the lack of formalized awareness and the lack of articulated knowledge

for alternative adaptive responses led to the high vulnerabilities in local communities (Tanko

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2016). It is therefore clear that there are major obstacles that limit the success of small-

scale farming. These challenges can be categorized into rather broad sectors; (1) climate, (2)

technology and education, (3) financing and (4) policy and infrastructure. Smallholder

farmers in Nigeria, such as these communities are considered amongst the poorest in the

world, with their adversity characterised by the marginal potential to develop without

modern agricultural technologies, sufficient investment and a distribution structure.

Table 1. Vulnerability to climate change rating for Cifatake community (Tanko 2016)

Source : Tanko (2016)

Table 2: Issues on agricultural Sector

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Scores (0 = no improvement has taken place, + = improvement has taken place, ? = improvement may have taken place)

Source : Tanko (2016)

Comparison

The key drivers of food insecurity for Uganda and Nigeria can be owed to food

prices, rising demand for food due to population growth, changing consumption patterns

and pressure on food production rate from climate change, and natural resource availability

as affected by land degradation and water scarcity. In Uganda, the number of

undernourished has been inflated by the influx of over 1.4 million migrants and refugees, of

which about 1 million alone came from South Sudan (FSIN 2018). However, Nigeria is

characterized as an undernourishment African country, in a state of deterioration (albeit

less consequential than Uganda).

In Uganda, there is a need to design appropriate food production technologies that

ensure sustainable use of wetland resources for food security, and in Nigeria, there is the

need to monitor ongoing adaptation practices, provide alerts about the risks of

maladaptation, and establish links with policymaking and, at the same time, to assess the

value of indigenous knowledge in the context of managing future risks (Tanko 2016).

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Conclusion

For too long the face of sub-Saharan Africa has been one of dehumanizing hunger.

Expanding populations and growing economic well-being in emerging economies and

changes in urban demographics are increasing the global demand for food. More than one

in four Africans is undernourished (UNDP 2012), and food insecurity is pervasive. Yet sub-

Saharan Africa has ample agricultural land, plenty of water and a generally favourable

climate for growing food. Like Fyles and Madramootoo (2016).

Climate change impacts

Climate change impacts, increasing water scarcity, and loss of productive land due to

poor management can be addressed, at least to some extent, in the agricultural sector

through technological improvements and investments in infrastructure, research, and

capacity building. In the absence of such improvement, food insecurity will prevail, and

communities will be forced to seek alternate nutrition sources and livelihoods, having their

very own consequential, if not compounding challenges. In many cases, the use of forest

resources is already changing, and these changes largely influence the roles that forest food

plays in household nutrition (Arnold et al. 2011). Arnold et al. (2011) described how forests

meet three fundamental household needs; (1) the provision of healthy foods, high in

micronutrients and fibre; (2) the provision of culturally valued products, integral to food

sovereignty; and (3) fulfillment of food gaps, acting as a resource buffer.

paradigm shift

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Thus, a paradigm shift is needed; sustainable development and food security efforts

must account for geo-cultural barriers to change and shift towards a healthy model that

recognizes systemic vectors affecting food security. In Uganda, there is a need to design

appropriate food production technologies that ensure sustainable use of wetland resources

for food security, and in Nigeria, there is the need to monitor ongoing adaptation practices,

provide alerts about the risks of maladaptation, and establish links with policymaking and,

at the same time, to assess the value of indigenous knowledge in the context of managing

future risks (Tanko 2016). Indeed, such adoptions would see a reversal of trend and an

indication of a way to move forward under modernization through technology, and

innovation through education. African governments must to take note; to continue in the

same direction or turn instability into an asset.

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